News

Communities of Practice: S149b-k & S163

March 12, 2026

S149b-k

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice, participants will discuss how to apply s149b-k of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, how to gather relevant evidence when assessing risk, and how to approach difficult conversations when information levels change.

S163

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice, participants will discuss how to make the information shared under section 163 of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 meaningful for the important people in a child’s life.

Communities of Practice: Family Time

March 12, 2026

Overview: 

Communities of Practice aims to improve the lives and outcomes of children and families by creating a space for practitioners to come together and explore difficult practice issues within the Permanency Support Program.

In this Communities of Practice (CoP), participants will find solutions and resources to navigate challenges in family time. Key discussion points of the session will include:

• Managing the relationship between kinship carer and parents
• Strategies for when children do not want to attend family time
• Discussing worker and child safety during family time

Coaching: Mandatory Reporting

March 12, 2026

Overview: 
Mandatory reporting decisions can be complex, and practitioners often need a space to think them through. This coaching session provides a supportive forum for practitioners to bring real practice dilemmas, explore reporting thresholds, and strengthen confidence in decision-making. Together we unpack legislative requirements, indicators of risk, and practical considerations to help ensure children’s safety while supporting clear, defensible professional judgement.

Communities of Practice: Restoration in Practice

March 12, 2026

Restoration in Practice

Restoration is often the preferred permanency goal, but translating policy into practice can be complex. This Community of Practice brings practitioners together to explore restoration through a real-world scenario, unpacking decision-making, engagement with parents, and balancing risk with the goal of reunification. Participants will reflect on practical strategies for supporting families, navigating setbacks, and maintaining a restoration focus while ensuring children’s safety and wellbeing.

Communities of Practice: Preparing Young People for Independence

March 10, 2026

Preparing Young People for Independence
What actually helps young people transition out of care? In this Community of Practice, practitioners explore a real-life scenario to unpack the practical steps, conversations and supports that help young people move toward independence with confidence. Share insights, reflect on practice, and learn from others working through similar challenges.

Communities of Practice: Conversations We Avoid

March 10, 2026

Conversations We Avoid
Some conversations are difficult but they are often the most important. In this Community of Practice, practitioners work through a scenario involving challenging discussions with parents, carers or young people. Together we explore practical ways to approach sensitive topics, strengthen communication, and support respectful, honest dialogue in practice.

F2F Training: The Six Steps of Guardianship and Open Adoption

February 16, 2026

This foundation training for inexperienced or new staff will explore permanency planning for children and young people who can’t be restored home. Topics we will cover include:

• Understanding permanency
• Considering Guardianship or Open Adoption
• Parallel Planning
• The six steps of Guardianship and Open Adoption

The session is co-facilitated by DCJ and also provides practical advice on how to approach conversations with children, young people, families and caregivers to help guide them through the permanency process.

Communities of Practice: Working with Aboriginal Children and Families

December 2, 2025

Working with Aboriginal Children and Families

F2F Training: Quality Provisional and Kinship Assessments

November 26, 2025

Quality Provisional and Kinship Assessments

Join this session to understand the essential components of effective provisional and kinship assessments. Learn practical strategies for conducting thorough evaluations that prioritise the safety, stability, and well-being of children. Discover how to engage families and kin effectively, ensuring assessments are comprehensive and culturally sensitive. Equip yourself with the skills to make informed decisions that support the best outcomes for children in care.

F2F Training: Difficult Conversations

November 26, 2025

Difficult conversations will explore knowledge and skills for responding to situations when important, yet difficult conversations are needed in the context of working with clients across the range of permanency support programs. The course will:

• identify the purpose and foundations for engaging in difficult conversations as well as how to address barriers to having meaningful conversations about difficult issues
• provide opportunities to explore strategies and tools that enhance outcomes in partnering with families in difficult conversations that are important to positive outcomes for children and young people.